He never really took much time to show it off until one football game last season when he took the ball on a pitch and outran everyone for a 75-yard touchdown.

That caught the attention of Adam Alba, an assistant coach for the Greenwood football team and the school's head track coach.

"We were playing Brownfield this year and he was one of our wide receivers and we were throwing a pitch pass and he fell down, got back up, caught the ball and outran the defense," Alba said. "After that, all during football season I would hint at him to run track this spring."

Finally, after some convincing, Cook decided to go out for track for the first time. Since the start of this season, he has shown what a diamond in the rough really was.

He qualified for regionals in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and with the 800-meter relay team. He didn't stop there, though. Cook broke the school record in the 200 and as a member of the 800 relay team.

"I didn't play football my sophomore or junior year," Cook said. "They never saw how fast I was. I never saw how fast I was. I really didn't think of myself as very fast, track-wise. I knew I was quick because of the football field but I just didn't think that would translate to track."

Cook is among nine regional qualifiers for the GHS boys track team. Now, for the first time, Cook will be going up against Region I-3A's best during Friday's regional track meet in Lubbock.

When he first started running track, Alba put Cook on the 800 relay just to see what he could do. Later he was entered in the 100.

The first time he ran the 200 was in the District 3-3A meet in April. He ended up breaking the school record.

"After he put me in the 100, I was winning and I was pretty surprised," Cook said. "Then he put me in the 200 in the district meet. I was nervous. I'm nervous before everything. I'm worried about regionals right now."

Alba said Cook's progress has been a surprise, but after seeing his run on the football field, he knew there was some potential he could tap into on the track.

"I just had him doing the relay and he told me 'Coach, I'll do whatever else you want me to do,'" Alba said. "Once he gave us that green light we put him in other events. I never thought he'd end up breaking the school record. That school record had been around for almost 10 years and it was held by a kid that was all-everything. I kind of thought that record was kind of untouchable for a while."

Now, Cook has a chance to do the unthinkable - qualify for the state track meet in his first season.

"I'm hoping for state but I'm not looking for that," Cook said. "I'm pretty happy to win what I've won."

Now, Alba only wishes he would have noticed Cook's speed before this season.

"No doubt, I tell him that all the time," Alba said. "We're lucky he decided to run this year. After that district meet, every district coach is asking us 'Where did that kid come from?' He's a good athlete to do what he's done."